Commentary by Susan Brinkmann, OCDSThe abortion industry has a long history of giving bad advice to women, but a recent article in SELF Magazine which offers “15 Ways to Mentally and Physically Prepare For Your Abortion” goes way over the top by suggesting women listen to Beyonce tunes during the procedure and bring coloring books to stay calm in the waiting room. Seriously? You'd be surprised about how many people use music therapy to calm their anxiety and stress.
August 1
July 31
“He said in reply, ‘He who sows good seed is the Son of Man, the field is the world, the good seed the children of the Kingdom. The weeds are the children of the Evil One, and the enemy who sows them is the Devil.’”
Lately I’ve recognized that when I pray Night Prayer (as my last prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours each day), I rush through the actual examination of conscience and avoid looking over my day and my actions. I assume I haven’t done anything “bad” enough to justify actually pondering the last 24 hours, so I jump straight into the other prayers.
Here’s my first mistake: I’m rushed. And the goal for me of praying the Liturgy of the Hours is to formulate a lifestyle that revolves around prayer and not the other way around. So when it comes to Night Prayer? Y’all, I’m failing at it.
But there’s good news— I have a loving Father who is ready to meet me where I am and to sow something beautiful out of my, well, laziness. He is the sower of good seed...and if I let Him, I can become whatever He allows me to be.
Who are you allowing to sow the seeds in your life? It’s so easy to wash our hands of the things that seem small; but in reality, all the “small” things add up. And before we know it, we aren’t letting Him sow anymore.
Tonight, on this special Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola, let’s honor him and do a simple examination of conscience. And see how large your faith grows as a result!
July 31
In the spiritual realm, there’s almost nothing worse than dry prayer. You spend your whole prayer time either besieged by distractions or struggling to string together two good thoughts. Who would ever think this disturbing situation could be a sign of greater things to come?
The following blog was submitted Nancy B. Mann, Ph.D., a fan of Women of Grace radio who listens to our show every day. She recently had a very disconcerting experience at her gynecologist’s office that revealed the secularism that dominates women’s reproductive health care in the U.S. and generously shares that experience with us here.
BL writes: “I have been trying to stop my children from using curse words they hear at school or the playground and often say ‘Whenever a person curses, the devil draws near!’ but I really don’t know where I got this information. Is this true?”
July 30
“The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants.”
This verse from the Gospel today makes me think of the beauty of life. We all start in the tiniest form and because of nurturing, we grow into the magnificent creatures we are! From the moment of our conception throughout our entire life, He has formed us day after day.
Isn’t that how our faith is supposed to be? Through His grace, we grow deeper and deeper in the supernatural virtue of faith and learn to trust more and more in our Father’s love.
God meets us where we are, and He transforms even the smallest of faith. Just like the gift of life, He takes us at our smallest and turns us into His greatest of creatures. Entrust Him with your littleness, wherever you are, and watch Him tend to you. You’ll be blooming in no time!
Planned Parenthood has filed an emergency appeal to stop the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from issuing grants to family planning providers under new rules that exclude abortion providers, a move they say will force them to lay off staff en masse and shutter clinics.
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